Source Property: KeyColumns
The value we select for the KeyColumns property
specifies a column or
columns within the underlying data source. The KeyColumns property specifies the column(s)
containing the member key(s).
1.
Click the box
to the immediate right of the KeyColumns label, just beneath the expanded CustomRollupPropertiesColumn label, within the expanded Source properties
group of the Properties pane.
We
note that the setting box currently contains “(Collection)”, instead of
a Table.Column name (such as that which we see in the NameColumn
setting just below the KeyColumns setting we currently occupy) – an
indicator that this is a composite key.
2.
Click the
ellipses (“... “) button that appears on the right edge of the KeyColumns property box, as depicted in Illustration 10.
Illustration 10: Click the Ellipses ( “... “) Button to the Right of the KeyColumns Property
The DataItem Collection Editor appears, as shown in Illustration 11.
Illustration 11: The DataItem Collection Editor Appears
As
we noted in Part I, the DataItem Collection Editor
is used throughout
the Business
Intelligence Development Studio to edit the collection of data items associated with the KeyColumns
property of various Analysis Services objects. The Members pane
on the left side of the dialog lists the data items contained by the
collection. Here, we can add or remove data items to the Members pane,
as well as move the items up or down as appropriate to meet our business
requirements.
We
notice that two members appear within the Members pane, on the left side
of the DataItem
Collection Editor
(as opposed to the single member that appears for a simple key). Because both members have similar settings in the Source properties
group, we will only examine those of the “0”
member, DimTime.CalendarYear, understanding that the settings for the “1”
member, DimTime.CalendarQuarter (and other members, were they required
to create a unique key, as discussed earlier), would be need
to be set appropriately to specify its origin in the underlying data, etc.
3.
Ensuring that
the “0” member (DimTime.CalendarYear) is selected
within the Members pane, expand the Misc group in the Properties
pane (right half of the Editor) by clicking the “+” sign that
appears to the immediate left of the Misc label, as depicted in Illustration 12.
Illustration 12: Expand the Misc Group in the Properties Pane
4.
Expand the Source
properties group in the Properties pane, atop the list that appears
under the newly expanded Misc group, by clicking the “+” sign
that appears to the immediate left of the Source label.
The Properties pane displays a list of properties available
for the data item that is selected within the Members pane (left half of the Editor), as shown in Illustration 13.
Illustration 13: The Expanded Misc Properties Appear
As
we can see, the first of the displayed DimTime.CalendarYear DataItem
properties, Source, expands to make available the TableID and the
ColumnID boxes, where we specify the location of the key within
the underlying database.
5.
Click the box
to the immediate right of the TableID label, just beneath the expanded Source
group label, to enable the downward-pointing selector button.
6.
Click the
downward arrow selector button, to expose the tables for
selection, as partially depicted in Illustration 14.
Illustration 14: Source - TableID Property Value Selection Options (Partial View)
Once
we have selected the TableID, we can select from a context-sensitive
list of columns via the ColumnID selector immediately underneath the TableID
selector, as partially shown in Illustration 15.
Illustration 15: Source - ColumnID Property Value Selection Options (Partial View)
7.
Leaving both Source
“subproperties” at their previously established settings, click the box to the
immediate right of the DataType label, just beneath the expanded Source
– ColumnID property, once again to enable the downward-pointing selector
button.
8.
Click the
downward arrow selector button, to expose the types for
selection, as partially depicted in Illustration 16.
Illustration 16: DataType Property Value Selection Options (Partial View)
We mentioned
in Part I that the data type options within Analysis
Services 2005 have been expanded over those of previous versions. The DataType
property allows us to convert the data types from those applicable to
the data within the underlying relational database to different data types that
we might require for the corresponding member data within Analysis Services.
We are thus afforded yet another element of versatility between these two
layers of the integrated business intelligence solution.
9.
Leaving the DataType property at its previously established
setting, click the DataSize label, just beneath the DataType property label, simply to rest it
there.
The
DataSize property allows us to specify (for either binary or text data) a size
(in bytes and characters, respectively). The setting we see in our example is
“4.” (The default is 255 characters anytime we do
not specify size.)
10.
Leaving the DataSize property at its previously established
setting, click the box to the immediate right of the NullProcessing
label, just beneath the DataSize property, once again to enable the
downward-pointing selector button.
11.
Click the
selector button, to expose the five options for NullProcessing
selection, as shown in Illustration 17.
Illustration 17: NullProcessing Selection Options
Here
we can select a value to dictate the manner in which Analysis Services
processes null attribute member data. These values are explained in
detail in Table 1.
|
Value
|
Explanation
|
|
Preserve
|
Analysis
Services
preserves the null
value.
NOTE: This selection dictates the expenditure of additional
resources in the storage and processing of null data.
|
|
Error
|
The Analysis
Server displays an error message, because the null value is
disallowed.
|
|
UnknownMember
|
The Analysis
Server associates the null value with an unknown member
(which dictates that the value is to be treated in accordance with
established unknown member rules).
|
|
ZeroOrBlank
|
Analysis
Services
converts the null value to a blank (when the data type is a string)
or to a zero (when the data type is other than a string).
|
|
Automatic
|
The Analysis
Server selects the value based upon its determination of context.
|
Table 1: Options for NullProcessing Rule Selection
12.
Leaving the NullProcessing property at its previously established
setting, click the box to the immediate right of the Collation label,
just beneath the NullProcessing property,
this time to enable the ellipses (...) button to its right.
13.
Click the
ellipses (...) button, to expose the Define Collation dialog, which
appears as depicted in Illustration 18.
p>Illustration 18: The DefineCollation Dialog
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